DORIS BERGMAN’S STYLE LOUNGE & PARTY IN CELEBRATION OF THE 2018 TELEVISION AWARDS SEASON

Once again, Doris Bergman held her fabulous semi-annual luncheon and Gifting Lounge at the upscale eatery, Fig and Olive in West Hollywood. The interior, and part of the exterior, too, had undergone a mini-makeover recently, which added a touch of pizzazz to the already-classy atmosphere.

The place was abuzz from the get-go with the perfect blend of returning and first-time sponsors. But it was all new to Nina, my contributing writer on this one. Her take on absolutely everything that happened that day is so wonderful that I just had to include many of her detailed comments. Ergo, this article may wind-up being longer than my usual ones. But I hope you’ll read it all, or else you’ll really miss-out.

Of the event, in general, she says, “The heat was on and temperatures were high. Not in just the fahrenheit kind of way, but also in the ‘holy moly, that’s the sexy man on TV with the dance moves’ kind of way.” She’s speaking, of course, of the gorgeous Gleb Savchenko, who we couldn’t take our eyes off all day! I’m happy to report that he’s one of the returning pros on Dancing With the Stars this season, (which is extra-great because there’s not even one “star” among the new competitors! The professional dancers are really the celebrities on that show. But don’t get me started on that topic right now.)

Nina took note that I “remarked on the smell of truffle oil in the air as we walked through the dining room,” and because I loathe everything about that flavor, she commented, “Whether or not one likes the taste or smell of truffle oil, it’s no secret that these fine mushrooms are tasted only among the fortunate. What a fitting aroma to be wafting in a room full of people who have been fortunate enough to have had a taste of success in one of the most sought after, desirable, coveted fields–that of entertainment. I kept thinking of how fortunate each of us was to be there, and to have the privilege of exploring some of the best products and fashions in town, too.” And this girl is young, so I’m glad that she’s already aware of the realities of life, despite growing-up right here in Tinseltown!

We both enjoyed our lunch there, of course, including the restaurant’s signature flatbreads that were passed around by amiable servers for hours before the actual buffet. Nina had never dined there before, and said, “The food is so yummy!” She was especially fond of those flatbreads, while I was thrilled that their little chocolate pot de cremes were back!!! If I had just eaten a ton of those mini-desserts all day, the event would have still been a success for me.

Wednesday’s Child—Even better than those tasty tidbits, though, was the chance to “give back” that Doris always affords us. Gifting works both ways at this event; we guests are always asked to bring gifts for children in foster care, which is what Wednesday’s Child is all about. I’m always more than happy to donate lots of fun items, but if someone doesn’t have that kind of shopping time, they can now donate financially, as well. (And so can you, with the link below!) Nina smartly commented, “I love that this table was the first thing attendees saw when walking into the gifting area. How nice it was to reflect on how much we already have, and to share our surplus before taking in the information on all the products this lounge had to offer!”  www.foxla.com/wednesdays-child

After that uplifting bit, it was time to meet all the sponsors, and see just what the lucky recipients were getting gifted that day. Here are the highlights:

Emporium Thai—My regular readers know that this is my favorite Thai restaurant, so I was thrilled to see them here.  They were giving the guests tastes of their delicious mango salad and Thai iced tea, along with gift certificates so that they can try the rest of Emporium’s fabulous food for themselves. (I hope that you’ve already read my couple of full reviews of them.) Nina said, “The Thai tea was so good, and not overly sweetened, which I loved because it allowed some of the complex tastes of the black tea to come through. It was so refreshing, especially on a hot day, and it seemed to have a hint of orange blossom water or star anise. In addition, I loved the family feel of the restaurant staff. John, the owner, was so kind and welcoming, and I loved how he hugged Karen, as if hugging an old friend and remembering all the times she has come into his restaurant to enjoy meals and good times there. I learned that Emporium Thai has its own bit of Emmy history, too! The restaurant was recently re-designed by Peter Gurski, a two-time Emmy-winning interior designer,” (a fact which I did not even know! I told you that she’s good at this!) www.ethaicuisine.com

Porto Vino—Of these very special bags, Nina said, “When I told my mother about these wine bags, where you can just lift-up a flap and, bam, have your wine dispensing into your cup, it became absolutely clear what she would like for Hanukkah now!” She added, “I think the red-and-white striped beach bags will really come in handy on a picnic date.” But she was especially “enthralled by the silicone wine glasses that were on display,” because “glass breaks and most regular plastic ones get scratched so easily! Porto Vino’s silicone ones gave me googly eyes!” While she drooled over those, I examined the new backpacks, which also feature the hidden wine spout—perfect for age-appropriate college students to celebrate after finals!  www.porto-vino.com

Twisted Silver–Nina had seen only the pieces that I wear from the collection of jewelry designer Debra Mitchell, so she was uber-impressed when she saw this entire display. We both became instant fans of the specially-designed gift for this year’s guests; it’s a long, dark, adjustable chain with a horseshoe nail hanging down. Nina loved Debra’s suggestion to wear it with a backless dress, so that the nail drapes down one’s spine. (Debra herself was also rocking the matching earrings, which complete this ultra-hip set.) Nina noted that all the jewelry from this line is a “mix of super-elegance and edgy-rocker-chick, and I love how it walks that line.” www.twisted-silver.com

Lollies and Lace Boutique—This designer, Nicole, is not only adorable and oh so pleasant, but she started this line because she finally had a daughter…after four boys!!! Wow. (I have a friend who was in that “boy” situation, as well, but she finally stopped trying for a girl. No worries, though–I let her dress me up!) While I admired the colorful baby blankets, Nina went nuts over the “adorable headbands” because she now has got a baby cousin who “never leaves her crib without” some head adornment! She said, “The flowery designs here are unlike anything I’ve seen on a stretchy headband; I’ve seen that kind of design only on firm ones, which are too hard for a soft baby head.” After conversing with Nicole a bit, Nina told me, “I love that the company was created by a mother who uses her experience mothering to understand what is comfortable and practical for children. Also, she employs only stay-at-home parents who are ‘committed to being present for their children at home’ while working for her company. I thought that was sweet.” I add only, what she said!  www.lolliesandlaceboutique.com

Sue Wong—While I chatted a bit with my long-time acquaintance, designer Sue Wong, Nina perused Sue’s “elegant, timeless gowns, which look like they could be in a Great Gatsby film.” Nina also went nuts over Sue’s latest perfume, Transformation, which she admitted “had me drooling. I don’t usually love perfume, but this one was truly remarkable.” My own mouth watered over the eye-popping chiffon scarves in delicate colors that the VIPs were very lucky to receive!  www.suewong.com

Mobile White—Nina’s “mind was blown” by this gift! It’s a teeth whitener that she explained to me comes with a “device you put in your mouth, and then log in to an app that sends a light into it,” which is what does the whitening. Wow. This innovative product made her declare, “It’s official: nobody needs anything but an iPhone to do anything anymore!” I’m sure that all the hip guests will be excited to try it out for themselves! www.mobilewhite.com

Buy Wine—I’m always wowed by this sponsor’s artistry, and now so was Nina, who commented on the “beautiful display they managed to curate,” along with the “lovely selection of wines.” She was so impressed with them, as a matter of fact, that she dug deeper when she got home, and told me that “their website seems like a great resource for finding wineries, restaurant recommendations, and other fun vacation ideas for nearly any destination.” Now I, too, am impressed! www.buywine.com

My Saint, My Hero—I’ve long believed in the power of these attractive “blessing bracelets,” so here’s Nina’s new story with them: “I read an article recently that reported on the morning rituals of hundreds of successful people. Those rituals include pausing to reflect on at least three things they are grateful for before doing anything else. I have been trying to do this every day, so the Gratitude Bracelet seemed like a perfect new piece to add to my life at this time. As I reach to quiet the alarm clock while wearing it, seeing it on my wrist will remind me to pause and give thanks before diving into the day and all of its distractions.” Smart girl! www.mysaintmyhero.com

Mind In Sole—These insoles for your shoes are genius, and here’s why: When I saw the NBA-sized samples on the table, I lamented that I couldn’t try them because I have Geisha-sized tootsies! But their cute reps very pleasantly explained that there are grooves for you to cut them down to fit your own feet!!! How brilliant! On top of that, they’re pimpled for comfort, so Nina said that “wearing these is like getting the foot massage that I so badly need, but that my boyfriend is too weirded-out by feet to give.” (Maybe she needs to start dating a podiatrist!) www.mindinsole.com

Goldinger’s Tee-shirts—Nina says that “any guy is bound to look like a hot hipster in these” designer shirts. She was especially drawn to one entitled “Ironriver Ride, American Road Untamed, Outlaw Biker Bad Boy Iron Thunder Spirit,” and explains, “When I was a little girl, my dad made me promise to never ride on a motorcycle…which perhaps explains why just the slight hint of it printed on a vintage t-shirt feels like the right amount of bad-boy-meets-refined-taste to catch my eye.” I liked the “Unscripted” one because anytime I’ve done a non-acting gig, my lines in the script say, “Karen ad libs!” Thanks, writers who want me to do all the work! www.goldingersbrand.com

Sünder—While I admired the beautiful fingernails of this mixer line’s rep, Nina paid attention to what she had to say, and tells us, “This mixer, infused with exotic fruits, has only a hint of sweetness and–unlike all those nasty chasers we all knew back in college–includes only natural ingredients, with no caffeine.” And even though they had vodka on hand to mix it with, Nina sipped on one without any alcohol and found that it was a “welcome, refreshing treat.” www.sunderusa.com

Let’s Cake—When we came upon this table which was all set-up for cupcake decorating, Nina said, “Everyone tells me not to play with my food, but I’ve always felt it should be allowed because it’s a creative art!” So she was happy that Let’s Cake “encouraged the act.” The company gave us plain cupcakes, and all the decorating supplies were laid-out in a way that Nina deemed to be “straight-forward, easy, and fun.” The rep was even nice enough to let us take the supplies to go, so that we could make a mess in our own homes! And not be publicly shamed for the results! www.letscakeevents.com

Nourish Modern Wellness—This wellness company wants to nourish your skin from the inside out, so to that end, they were gifting a choice of interesting products. Nina listened to everything their rep had to say and told me, “I learned that maca root is a good source of carbs and protein, it’s low in fat, and contains a fair amount of fiber. It also has vitamins, minerals, copper, and iron! I can definitely see why it would be a good idea to transition from coffee to this product.” I was more interested in Cordyceps, which is a “supershroom” they pair with cacao to help the body handle the stress of the day. She had me at that it tastes like hot chocolate! www.nourishmodernwellness.com

Diamond Veneer—As someone who doesn’t trust diamonds that are under seventy-years-old because I can’t guarantee that they’re non-conflict ones, I was especially happy to learn of this new process in diamond alternatives. And their display added a touch of sparkle to the event. They were gifting their blinged-out pens, which are perfect gifts for writers such as Nina and me. I can’t wait to whip mine out at the next media conference! www.diamondveneer.com

KamShield—You can never be too careful with technology these days, so this “simple little idea,” as Nina calls it, is much appreciated. She told me that she had “never seen anything like” this tiny device that covers the cameras on computers, laptops, and even iPads! And you slide it open when need be. Nina said, “I have always used a piece of tape to cover my laptop camera, but now I have something with way less gooey residue. What a very clever and useful gift!” Even more impressive is that the owner had put each celeb’s face on one just for them! (And, of course I’m a fan because this company and I both have the same initials–KS!) www.kamshield.com

Green HoriZen CBD—This natural health company was gifting a duo of products that contain CBD, which is the recent trend. Nina said that she “looks forward to experimenting with the balm” on her neck, “after my next time sitting in LA traffic,” which probably came the second she dropped me off that afternoon! www.mygreenhorizen.com

Beauty Kitchen—This company was here once again,gifting their now-signature pink box containing some of their top “kitchen-made” products. In there was a bath soak, a body polisher, and an aloe-infused eye gel. I’m sure all the girly-girls appreciated those items! www.beautykitchen.net

Planet Beauty—Nina told me that she was “looking forward to quenching” her tresses’ thirst with these luxurious hair products which all the guests received a gift bag of on the way out of the event. What a fun, extra little surprise to end our fabulous visit to Doris Bergman’s TV event with! www.planetbeauty.com